Cruising Sailors Council
ARTICLE I - NAMEThe name of the organization is the Cruising Sailors Council of the United States Sailing Association
(hereinafter “CSC”)
ARTICLE II -PURPOSE
1. Provide a forum for US SAILING members who are primarily recreational and/or cruising sailors.
2. Bring new people into the sport of sailing and into US SAILING. Provide forum to examine
entrance points for new comers to recreational sailing and cruising, and to advise on ways to
foster, market, and encourage participation in the sport of sailing.
3. Provide a forum for safety related issues for the recreational and cruising sailor. Includes forum
for boating safety issues, state and federal regulation and boating law issues, and the further
development/review of best safe sailing practices. Provide forum/liaison with USCG regarding
safety issues, education and training issues, port security issues and homeland security issues and
advisories.
4. Advise US SAILING on issues related to recreational & cruising sailor educational opportunities
in the US. Provide forum for input related to commercial, non-profit and other US SAILING
sponsored sail training programs that are available to recreational and cruising sailors.
5. Provide forum for cruising sailors on issues related to blue water cruising, visiting foreign ports,
living aboard, and boat maintenance.
ARTICLE III -MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the CSC shall be open to all parties related to the activities of recreational and cruising sailors, and may include: Individual recreational and cruising sailors; commercial sailing schools; nonprofit sailing organizations; yacht charter companies; cruising clubs, sailboat manufacturers; “rendezvous” cruising groups; federal and state licensing organizations; NASBLA representatives; and state and federal safety officials. Each member of the CSC must also be in good standing with US SAILING and be a current dues paying member of US SAILING. Membership in the CSC will be via written application to the CSC executive committee. A list of current CSC members will be kept by the CSC secretary and published annually at the AGM.
ARTICLE IV -EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The CSC will elect its Executive Committee annually at the CSC Annual General Meeting for those open seats. The slate of candidates will be presented by the nominating committee as prescribed herein, and elections will be held in accordance with ARTICLE X – VOTING.
The Executive Committee shall consist of seven elected positions, including Officers. The term of each Executive Committee member shall be for two years. An Executive Committee member may serve consecutive terms if so nominated and duly elected. Any Executive Committee member missing any two consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee, unexcused, shall be removed from the Committee.
Members of the Executive Committee shall be nominated and elected without regard to race, color,
religion, national origin, or sex. Each Executive Committee member shall also maintain their individual membership in US SAILING in addition to any membership that their company or organization may hold.
ARTICLE V -EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DUTIES and REPONSIBILTIES
1. The Executive Committee shall have general control and management of the general and financial
affairs of the CSC. It shall have full power and it shall be its duty to carry out the purposes of the
CSC according to law and as provided in these Bylaws.
a. The Executive Committee shall elect the following four Officers at the Annual General Meeting, as various officer positions become vacant or as terms are otherwise fulfilled: Chair, and two Vice-Chairs (first chair and second chair), and a Secretary. Each Officer to be elected by the CSC in accordance with voting practices listed in ARTICLE X - VOTING. Each officer to serve for two years. If an Officer is elected while currently serving a term as a Executive committee member, then their Executive Committee seat will be forfeited and may be refilled via CSC vote, or by approved Executive Committee interim appointment, so long as the total number of EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
members (including officers) does not exceed seven members, as defined in ARTICLE
IV. Officers may be reelected for consecutive terms, if so nominated and duly elected.
b. The CSC Executive Committee shall adopt such regulations covering policy,organization, and procedural matters, as it deems appropriate.
c. To the extent applicable, and as requested, the CSC Executive Committee to act as a direct liaison with the US SAILING TRAINING and COMMERCIAL SAILING committees as may from time to time be requested. CSC Board members may hold positions on other US SAILING boards and committees.
d. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to appoint Officers, Executive
Committee members, and members of the nominating committee should any of these positions become vacant between elections. Such appointments shall be interim, until the next election at the Annual General Meeting.
ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS – DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES
Chair- Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Presides at all meetings of the Council and the Executive Committee. In his/her absence, the first Vice Chair will preside.
- May appoint committees and committee chairs to carry out specific assignments for the CSC.
- Takes primary responsibility for liaison with COMMERCIAL SAILING COMMITTEE regarding cruising sailor education and training issues/ideas.
- Represents the CSC on the US SAILING Executive Committee
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Presides in absence of Chair
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Interface as CSC representative with all other committees and councils within US SAILING.
- Encourage and support interaction of constituencies that can have input into CSC topics.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Takes primary responsibility to keep records at all meetings, ensure dissemination of all required minutes and notes, whether generated via Annual General Meeting, Executive Committee meeting, allowed phone conference votes and other approved electronic meetings of the Executive Committee
1 The Nominating Committee shall recommend to the CSC membership candidates for
election to the CSC Executive Committee. Each nominee will be screened by the
nomination committee to be in compliance with minimum requirements as outlined in ARTICLE IV – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
2 The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by the most recent past Chair of the CSC
Executive Committee.
3 The Nominating Committee shall consist of all immediate past year Executive Committee members not currently on the executive committee, plus the nominating committee chair.
4 The Nominating Committee shall report their list of Officer and Executive Committee nominations at the Annual General Meeting to the approved CSC membership. The Nominating committee will also be responsible for registering all valid voting members present at the AGM, coordinating the voting process and for tabulating and documenting the vote results, and for reporting the outcome to the Executive Committee.
5 The slate of nominees should be completed at least 30 days prior to the annual general meeting, and forwarded to the CSC secretary for inclusion in meeting agenda. The final slate of nominees will only include those candidates who indicate that they would be willing to serve if elected.
ARTICLE VIII - MEETINGS
1. The Annual General Meeting of the CSC and the CSC Executive Committee will coincide with the US SAILING ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
2. The Executive Committee may call special meetings of the CSC Executive
Committee. These meetings, and subsequent voting on issues, may be held via
telephone and/or electronic means.
3. The Chair may call special meetings of the Executive Committee. These meetings, and subsequent voting on issues, may be held via telephone and/or electronic means.
4. The Executive Committee will decide each year if the US SAILING spring Meeting is a required meeting for the CSC Executive Committee depending on the needs of the CSC.
ARTICLE IX - QUOROMS
1. A Quorum for the CSC general membership to vote on the Executive Committee positions
available at the Annual General Meeting is defined as those approved CSC members present,
plus 50% of the Executive Committee present.
2. A Quorum for Executive Committee outside of the AGM meeting is 75%
ARTICLE X - VOTING
1 The CSC Executive Committee has exclusive voting rights on all CSC issues, except for: the elections for Executive Committee seats (Article IX); changes to these bylaws (Article XII); and for decisions made by the Executive Committee in certain circumstances (Article X (3). All issues will be decided by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. A Quorum at the annual general meeting of the CSC Executive Committee will be require at least 50% of Executive Committee present and 50% of the Officers present. The Chair will decide any ties.
2. The entire CSC membership votes on the Executive Committee elections each year for positions that are open and for which the nominating committee has forwarded candidates. This vote is held each year at the CSC annual general meeting and will be decided by a majority vote of the quorum. For purposes of this vote only, a quorum is defined as all of the approved CSC members present, plus at least 50% of the Executive Committee and 50% of the Officers being present. Each CSC member and each Executive Committee member is entitled to one vote. The Chairman will decide any ties.
3. Deciding votes by the Executive Committee at times outside of the Annual Meeting, or any other authorized meeting of the Executive Committee shall be at least two thirds of the vote of the quorum. The quorum for these meetings/communications outside of the AGM is 75% of the Officers. Each Officer receives one vote. The Chair decides ties. All decisions made by the Executive Committee under this paragraph can be ratified or overturned at the following annual general meeting of the CSC if a call for a vote is requested by a CSC member or members. Such requests for a full CSC vote on any particular issue shall be submitted to the CSC secretary for inclusion into the meeting agenda prior to the Annual General Meeting.
ARTICLE XI - DUES
1. The CSC Executive Committee shall set dues, fees, and other such assessments for CSC membership as deemed necessary to conduct/improve the goals and business of the CSC.
ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS
1. Any amendments to these bylaws shall be initiated by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee and then approved by a majority of the CSC membership present at the AGM. If necessary and/or material changes are made which require approval of USSAILING, such BYLAW changes voted on by the CSC would be pending US SAILING approval.